Common buckthorn foliage
Image credit: WIGL
Common buckthorn foliage
Image credit: WIGL
Common buckthorn, a woody shrub/small tree in the Rhamnaceae family, is an understory invasive that produces large amounts of seeds and out-competes many native species. It’s also both sun and shade tolerant and can live in many different soil, moisture, and habitat conditions. Identifying features include:
Note: This plant can be confused with native cherries like pin cherry and choke cherry. Note that cherries will have two black spots (glands) on the leaf petiole (stem) near the base of the leaf and buckthorn will not.
For more information visit Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes (WIGL) Collaborative and Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN).
Oval-shaped leaves and mature fruit of common buckthorn
Image credit: Sigrid Resh
Drupes persist on branches through the winter
Image credit: KISMA
Buckthorn is a highly aggressive species that produces copious amounts of seeds and saplings and is able to take over an understory relatively fast. Here at KISMA, buckthorn is another major invasive species that we have at multiple sites. It’s important to revisit sites as buckthorn seeds are viable in the ground for multiple years and it’s important to remove all seedlings. KISMA prioritizes removal of seed trees and satellite populations first, to prevent further spread of buckthorn.
Note: It's very important to remove seeds and seed-bearing trees first, as this is the main reproduction strategy of buckthorn.
Securely fastened plastic bag used to smother buckthorn stump sprouts after cutting
Image credit: Sigrid Resh
Great native alternatives to common buckthorn would be the native cherries like pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) and choke cherry (Prunus virginiana). Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.) is also a great alternative providing a well needed food source to native wildlife. Other species like highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) and other native shrub species are great as well.